In Love and Gore
by shawnieeluv3
Summary: They say falling in love is easy, but what if the one you want is taken? Do you follow your heart or let things be? Oh how troublesome it must be to be in love with someone, who is completely unatainable. Follows Cleo, Operetta, Deuce G. Ghoulia Y. Holt H. Follows Cleo, Operetta, Deuce G. Ghoulia Y. Holt H.
1. Chapter 1: Envy (Ghoulia)

Chapter1: Envy (Ghoulia)

"I love you dear", mused Cleo de Nile as she shared a passionate kiss with her boyfriend Deuce Gorgon. "I love you too Cleo", smiled Deuce as he pulled her in closer to him.

Ghoulia Yelps yanked her locker open in disgust. She hated seeing Cleo and Deuce publicly display their affection for each other.

"Ughh", she sighed as Cleo waved goodbye to Deuce. Ghoulia was perplexed at how naïve Cleo was. Deuce was not a good boyfriend at all and Ghoulia was the only one to realize it. _"I wonder who he's going to see now", she thought. 'Is it Rochelle or Operetta this time…?' _Ghoulia jolted from her thoughts when she heard Cleo strutting towards her.

"Ghoulia, Ghoulia. Come along now, we have important things to do", called Cleo in her obnoxious voice. Ghoulia groaned and slammed her magenta locker.

"She can be such a witch at times, but that's why I love her", thought Ghoulia. She giggled to herself.

"What are you laughing about Ghoulia? Is there something on my face?" worried the Mummy as she reached for her gold compact mirror.

"No Cleo", sighed the Zombie as she smiled. Cleo's insecurities only made her more beautiful to Ghoulia.

"Alright then, let's go torture some underclassmen". The two ghouls giggled as they strolled away.


	2. Chapter 2: Hot Commodity (Deuce)

Chapter 2: Hot Commodity (Deuce)

It was the end of the day and Deuce Gorgon was on a mission. He needed to leave school ASAP and head to the hottest place in town- and he needed to do so without his girlfriend Cleo finding out. Just minutes ago he had told Cleo that he was too busy helping his mom to hang out with her. Cleo was upset, but he figured she would get over it. He didn't waste any time on the way to the parking lot. He dashed towards his lime green Volkswagen and hopped in.

Just as he was about to pull off, his iCoffin started to buzz. "Oh shit," he exclaimed as he looked down at the buzzing phone. Deuce put his left hand on the stirring wheel and answered the phone with his right. "Hey, I'll be there any second. Hold on, there's someone on the other line."

Deuce switched over to the other line. "Oh, hey Operetta. Sorry I can't come over tonight. No I'm not with Cleo. Don't worry about where I'm going. Bye."

Deuce sighed. He and Operetta were only supposed to be friends with benefits, but with each passing day she saw him more and more as her boyfriend. "I'm back," responded Deuce to the other caller. "I'm on my way," he said and threw his iCoffin at the passenger seat.


	3. Chapter 3: Stupid Ghoul (Operetta)

Chapter 3: Stupid Gurl (Operetta)

"That asshole!" Operetta screamed as she kicked her locker. "You okay?" asked Frankie Stein as she walked towards the vermillion haired Ghoul. Operetta folded her arms across her chest. "No", she spat. Frankie moved closer to Operetta as Clawdeen Wolf followed. "Tell me what's wrong," coaxed Frankie. "Yea, maybe we can help," added Clawdeen. Operetta shook her head. "Naw, I don't think you guys can help." Clawdeen placed a manicured hand on the phantom's shoulder. "Girl you can tell us anything."

Operetta groaned. "Well ghouls I guess I got myself into a lil' bit of a situation," she stated. Frankie tapped her chin. "What kind of situation?" "Elaborate please," implored Clawdeen. Operetta pulled the ghouls in closer to her. "Well ghouls, 'I've gone up the creek'". "What?!" Frankie and Clawdeen asked in unison, confused by Operetta's southern saying. "Umm, I have a bun in the oven," she tried again. Clawdeen's hand flew to cover her mouth as she gasped. "Oh My Ghoul," sputtered the werewolf. Frankie turned to Clawdeen, still thoroughly confused about the situation.

The ghoul turned to Clawdeen for clarification. "Why would she be upset about a bun in the oven? That sounds pretty tasty to me," stated Frankie. "Dear Lord, she can be so naïve at times," grumbled Clawdeen with a face palm. Operetta rolled her eyes "Seriously." Clawdeen grabbed Frankie. "Sweetie, it's a figure of speech. There is no actual bun or oven. Operetta is trying to say that she's pregnant," Clawdeen whispered. Frankie flinched, as if the words had hit her. "OMG, OMG! By who?" questioned Frankie? Clawdeen looked towards Operetta, wondering the same thing. The hallway of the school was beginning to get crowded and Operetta began to feel self conscious. _What if she told and someone overheard? What if word got back to Cleo? _Operetta knew what she and Deuce were doing was wrong but she couldn't stop herself. She enjoyed the adrenaline rush she got when she was around him. It was as if the two of them were made for each other.

Operetta snapped out of it when she noticed the two ghouls in front of her. "Oh sorry, I was thinking," she assured. "So are you going to tell us?" asked Clawdeen and Frankie. Operetta's gaze shifted from left to right following the students that passed by her. Operetta gulped. "Sorry ghouls, but a southern belle never kisses and tells," she stated as she grabbed her guitar case and ran away. Clawdeen rolled her eyes. "Seems like a 'southern belle' did a whole lot more than just kissing," she mumbled.

Operetta didn't stop running until she reached the catacombs. Sweat poured from every inch of her "body", which she didn't even realize was possible. She lowered herself onto a bench. "Damnmit, what was I thinking? I should've kept my mouth shut; now all those nosey ghouls will be snooping through my business." She sighed. _'I wonder what Deuce's problem is? He's usually ecstatic to see me instead of Cleo.'_ She shook her head to clear her thoughts, then opened her guitar case. Operetta gave the black and crimson instrument a slight hug and whispered, "I guess we'll have to go 'Taylor Swift' on him."


	4. Chapter4: Boy Meets Boy (Jackson Jekyll)

Chapter 4 Boy Meets Boy (Jackson)

_**As if the title doesn't tell it all. I know this chapter is probably stereotypical, but I need to set up for the next chapter. I hope you enjoy. Leave reviews and follow/favorite =D**_

Jackson Jekyll didn't know what to feel as he followed behind a tall blond guy. "What is this exactly," asked Jackson as the blond stopped outside of a bright green building, covered in neon signs. The blond giggled at the sheepish teen. "It's a club Jack," he said with a laugh. Still uneasy about the situation, Jackson formulated another question. "What kind of club?" The blond (whose name was Stephen) sighed, "Gay, straight, bicurious, single, taken, human, monster- blah, blah, blah," listed Stephen. Jackson gulped as he watched Stephen open up the doors. "Well here you go Jack. Here's 'The Spot'. How are you feeling?"

Jackson didn't know what or how he should feel. He was the new kid in a town filled with a little bit of everything, but he still didn't fit in. Earlier that day he was sitting alone outside his house when Stephen came up to him.

"_Hi, I'm Stephen," he introduced himself gleefully. Jackson couldn't help but stare at the guy. He was 6 feet tall with spiky ice blond hair. He was nicely tanned with sky-blue eyes and sharp facial features. Jackson thought that he resembled Xander from __Drawn Together. __Stephen insisted on finding out everything he could about Jackson- Where he lived previously? His favorite food? If he was single? All Jackson could do was stare at Stephen. He was shocked by the guy's vibrant personality. Jackson could only imagine what life would be like with that personality. When he finally gathered the courage, Jackson answered all of Stephen's questions enthusiastically._

_After the session of questions Stephen decided to tell more about himself. "Well Jackson, I'm a freshman in college and in the evenings I work at this club called 'The Spot'. It's a nice place to meet new 'people' and you're guaranteed to find somebody worth your while, and it would mean a lot to me if you could come," pressed Stephen. Jackson squinted his eyes through his black- rectangular framed glasses. "Uh," he sputtered. Stephen chuckled, "Didn't you say you were starting school at Monster High tomorrow? A few 'people' from Monster High frequent the spot," added Stephen, hoping to reel Jackson in. Jackson shrugged, "It's not like I have anything better to do."_

That explained why Jackson stood in the club now. "I guess I feel okay," murmured the teen. Stephen patted his shoulder to reassure him. "Believe me Jack, you'll be on cloud nine in few minutes," laughed Stephen. Just then Stephen's iPhone began to buzz loudly. "Ohh," Stephen smiled as he read the name on the screen. "Wait here Jack, I'll be right back. Chelsea, get Jack a rum and coke on me," ordered Stephen as he ran to the backdoor of the establishment.

Jackson stood in the midst of the madness, that Stephen called a "Club". As he looked around he saw all the things he had been warned against. In a far corner he saw a werewolf in a purple- fur collared jacket sitting at a table with a male werewolf and a tiny pink vampire. The female werewolf held a freshly rolled marijuana blunt between her thumb and index finger as the male lit it with a lighter. Jackson was mesmerized. It wasn't like he had never seen these things before; he had just never seen these things done so openly without fear of being caught.

In the middle of the floor he saw three female werecats enveloped in a deep make-out session. Jackson wasn't sure you could call what they were doing "Making-out". The orange striped cat in the middle seemed to be the center of all the action, while the raven-haired one and the blonde one seemed to feed off of her moves. Jackson snapped back to reality when the female called Chelsea handed him an alcoholic beverage.


	5. Chapter 5: Boy Meets Boy Part Deux

Chapter 5 Boy Meets Boy Part Deux (Deuce)

_**Here goes Chapter 5! Things are starting to get interesting! Don't hate me too much for the ship that's about to happen! (SPOILER ALERT!)**_

After hanging up his iCoffin Deuce rode the remainder of his trip in silence. He was almost at breaking point with Operetta. He wanted to love the ghoul, but she could be a handful. _'Maybe it's that southern upbringing,' _he thought. He had to find a way to control Operetta before things got out of hand. When Operetta got angry she was capable of anything, and Deuce knew she wouldn't hesitate to tell Cleo about their situation. He covered his face with his hands and took a deep breath. _'Forget her, it's time to have fun.' _Just as Deuce parked his car in The Spot's parking lot his iCoffin started to buzz. He slid the answer button across the screen.

"Hey Stephen, What's up? Oh, you have something for me. I see. Well I'm in the parking lot, see you in a minute." Deuce was excited, his normie buddy Stephen had a surprise for him. Deuce looked into his overhead mirror and smoothed his snakes to one side. "Well, maybe tonight will be a good night after all. Deuce opened his car door and strode towards the entrance of the club. The air was the perfect temperature. Not too hot, not too cold. Deuce smiled because it only added to his excitement. As he inched closer to the front door he saw Stephen waiting for him at the entrance.

"Hey Best Friend," shouted Stephen. Deuce smiled, "Hey Steph." Stephen practically flew over to Deuce and bombarded him with a hug. "Boy, am I glad to see you," Stephen giggled. Deuce laughed with his friend. "So I hear you have some 'fresh meat' for me," Deuce probed with a laugh. Stephen slapped his forehead. "Of course I do, follow me this way." Deuce didn't hesitate to follow Stephen. They opened the door and zigzagged through the hundreds of people and monsters, all interacting together and not against each other. This was the place where Deuce felt the most comfortable. There was no one to judge him and he didn't have to worry about Cleo or Operetta.

After a few minutes of wandering through the crowd, Deuce and Stephen stopped at a purple couch along a bright yellow wall. It was hard for Deuce to distinguish the figure on the couch. The only lights in the club were the dim lights above the bar and the colorful lights being emitted from the giant disco ball in the ceiling. Stephen stepped closer to the figure on the couch. "Hey Jackson, this is my good ol' friend Deuce. Deuce this is my new friend Jackson," introduced Stephen. Deuce and Stephen shook hands. "Nice to meet you," said Jackson. "Same," responded Deuce. Stephen looked pleased. "Jack, I thought I'd introduce you to Deuce since you'll be starting at Monster High tomorrow. Deuce is a junior there too!"

Deuce looked confused. "Aren't you a normie? Sorry I mean Aren't you a human?" Jackson pushed his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose. "Yes, I am a 'normie'," murmured Jackson. Deuce was still perplexed. "If you're a normie, why are you going to school at _**Monster**_ High?" questioned Deuce. Jackson shuttered. "Well my cousin goes there and my mom thought it would be best if I went there also." Deuce nodded, not wanting to probe the boy anymore. Stephen got up from the couch, "Well boys, I'm gonna leave you two alone. I don't get paid to relax," he said as he made his way to the bar.

Deuce noticed that Jackson was very shy. The normie barely made eye contact with Deuce, and when he did, he quickly diverted his gaze. Deuce knew what would loosen him up. "Hey Chels, can I get two Vodkas and keep them on a loop," he called. The ginger-haired bartender smiled as she began to prepare the drinks. "So, how'd you meet Stephen?" wondered Deuce. Jackson looked down at his blue and green sneakers. "Well he kind of found me sitting outside and invited me here," answered Jackson. Deuce sighed, _'Man this is gonna be difficult.' _"Alright Jackson, I'll be right back," said Deuce as he walked towards the bar. "No luck?" asked Chelsea as she slid the drinks over towards Deuce. Deuce scoffed, "Nope. That dude needs to learn to relax." Chelsea laughed. "So you're going to 'liquor' him up and take advantage of him?"chuckled Chelsea.

"Oh Chels, you know me so well," Deuce answered sarcastically. "No, he'll never get through Monster High if he's so uptight all the time. That's why I'm trying to loosen him up. In all honesty, it's for his own good," explained Deuce. Chelsea rolled her eyes as she washed a shot glass. "Good Luck!" she called as Deuce walked back to his seat. "Here you go Jack. I hope you like Vodka," he grinned as he passed the drink to Jackson. Jackson gulped. "Thanks," he responded weakly.

Jackson wasn't sure if he should drink the drink. After all he had just consumed the rum and coke that Stephen gave him only minutes ago, and to be honest that had made him tipsy. Jackson shrugged, _'What the hell,' _he thought. This guy was probably the only friend he'd ever have and he was in no position to pass on friends. Jackson pushed his blond and black bangs out of his face and raised his glass. He nudged Deuce, who raised his glass also. "Cheers," the two said in unison.

…

Deuce and Jackson had been drinking for nearly thirty minutes and Deuce was convinced that Jackson had gotten wasted after the first shot of Vodka. He looked over at the pale skinned normie, still holding on by a thread. _'This is the chance,' _thought Deuce as he tapped Jackson on the shoulder. The human teen smiled as Deuce gestured towards a leopard print door adjacent to the bar. The music playing was slow with a mellow beat- Not a slow-dance song, but a song that made you think.

_I understand your body wants it/ I know your thoughts- oh you're bout it bout it_

The chorus played as Deuce led Jackson to the private room. Deuce pulled the door open and waited for Jackson to enter. Once inside Deuce locked the door and pointed Jackson to the burgundy chaise longue. Jackson fell sloppily onto the couch and Deuce followed. Deuce didn't want to waste any time with wooing. Waiting wasn't really his thing. He decided to give one more glance at the human before making a move.

Deuce leaned in, cradling Jackson's head in his hands. "Jackson, you're so gorgeous," laughed Deuce as he gently placed his lips against Jackson's. Jackson didn't protest, and Deuce knew he wouldn't. He stared up at Deuce for what seemed like an eternity. "But Deuce… we barely…," Jackson's statement was halted by the index finger Deuce placed over his lips. "I love you Jackson," proclaimed Deuce quietly. "I love you too," whispered the normie, and with that Deuce leaned in for another kiss- this one involving tongue.

Deuce could feel the music intensify as he kissed Jackson. He was surprised at how the normie reacted to his advances. It proved the old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover". Who would've thought that the sheepish normie in bad clothing would be so experienced? Deuce didn't want the session to end, but he decided to stop when he noticed Jackson's pained expression. The music outside the room had gotten so loud. Deuce couldn't understand what Jackson was trying to say to him.

Jackson took a deep breath and everything went black. "GET THE HELL OFF OF ME FAGGOT!" yelled the normie as he shoved Deuce to the floor. It took Deuce a minute to collect himself, and as he looked up he saw a smurf- blue figure in striped pants unlocking the door. "Hey, who are you? Where's Jackson?" called Deuce as the figure escaped.

Deuce shook his head rapidly. _'Maybe I had too many drinks he thought.'_

…

_**Hey! I know this chapter was long and I know the ending sucked, but I had to get some things laid out. Don't worry it gets better… WAY better! Sorry for the use of the 'F' word, it's only for the sake of the story. The song used in this chapter was 'The Party and The After Party' by The Weeknd' (I love Canadians=D), and here's a heads up- The Weeknd's songs will probably inspire most of this story! Anyways, tell me what you think so far or anything you want to see!**_


	6. Chapter 6: Muddled Monstrosities

Chapter 6 Muddled Monstrosities (Ghoulia)

Ghoulia lay at the foot of her best friend's canopy bed reading a _Dead Fast _comic. "Hey Deuce, it's Cleo. I was just calling to make sure you were ok…" "Call me back soon," Cleo practically begged the voicemail box. Ghoulia closed the comic book and slapped her forehead with it. 'She's so stupid,' cerebrated the zombie. It was a late Sunday night, and Ghoulia was spending the night with Cleo. It wasn't the type of 'spending the night' that Ghoulia wanted, but it would have to suffice. Cleo had spent the entire night worrying about Deuce. She sent text after text and made call after call, but never received an answer.

It annoyed Ghoulia to a point of no return. Why was this ghoul chasing after someone who _obviously_ didn't want her? Although Ghoulia was a genius, she would probably never get an answer to that question. "Ghoulia, do you think he's okay?" worried Cleo. Ghoulia sat up as straight as she could on Cleo's bed. "He's probably sleeping with one of your best friends," mumbled Ghoulia under her breath. "What Ghoulia?" The zombie coughed. "Yeah, he's probably just busy helping his mom," covered Ghoulia. Cleo wiped the tears from her eyes. "You're probably right," she forced a fake laugh.

As the mummy crawled into her bed she hugged her best friend. "I love you Ghoulia!" Ghoulia rolled her eyes and thought, _'If only you really meant it.'_

…

After Ghoulia was sure that Cleo was asleep, she crawled from beside her friend and out of the bed. Ghoulia reached into her overnight bag to retrieve her Coffinbook Pro. She really needed advice, and there was only one person who could help. Before leaving the room she glanced at Cleo. The Egyptian princess had fallen asleep crying. Her eyes were smeared with heavy black eyeliner and her mouth with red lipstick. Ghoulia suspired, knowing that Cleo's life would be so much easier if she let go of Deuce. "One day she'll learn," murmured Ghoulia as she left the room.

Ghoulia wandered down the dark, winding hallways of Cleo's home. She didn't know why Mr. de Nile insisted on having the interior of the home resemble an actual tomb. It only made it more difficult for her to maneuver- that and the whole Zombie speed thing. After a few falls, she finally made it to the family's "Gold Room". The room was literally golden. The walls were covered in gold leaf and the only items allowed in the room were gold ones. Ghoulia giggled as she looked down at her silver Coffinbook Pro. _'Wonder what Mr. de Nile and Nefera would think if they saw this?' _

Ghoulia shook her head, remembering her reason for being there in the first place. The zombie locked the door and sat with her back against it. Without wasting any of her limited time, she opened up her Coffinbook and logged onto booVoo (ooVoo). Lucky for her the monster she needed was online. Ghoulia scrolled down to the name and clicked the 'Call' button. "Pick up please!" she begged. "Well, well, well. If it isn't my favorite little sister," laughed Ghoulia's older sister Moan-a. Ghoulia smiled. "Sorry to bother you this late, but I need your help," she confided. Moan-a was clearly shocked. "What?! The self proclaimed genius needs _MY _help!"

Ghoulia rolled her eyes. Her older sister could be so annoying and over-dramatic. "Are you done yet," spat Ghoulia. "Sorry kiddo. Tell me what's wrong," Moan-a encouraged. "Well my friend is in a bad relationship and she won't let go of it. Even though…" Ghoulia paused. For once in her life she was at a loss for words. She lowered her head, afraid to see her sister's expression on the computer screen. "Ghoulia, you better finish that statement. It's two o'clock in the morning and I don't wake up for nothing," chastised Moan-a. Ghoulia scoffed. _'You weren't even asleep,' _she thought.

"Well she won't leave him, even though there's someone who really loves her. Someone who's always there for her, someone who understands her and only wants the best for her," Ghoulia sobbed. Moan-a stared at her sister. In her eighteen zombie years she had never seen her baby sister so vulnerable. The sight disgusted her, because she knew who Ghoulia was referring too. Cleo and Ghoulia had a twisted relationship that Ghoulia preferred to call a friendship. In reality Cleo was a heartless demon who used and abused Ghoulia. Moan-a and her twin sister Moan-ica tried time after time to break up the "friendship", but Ghoulia would always accuse them of being _Jealous_.

At one point the twins tried to involve their parents, but they brushed the situation off too- saying that it was _'An honor to have their daughter be associated with royalty.' _Moan-a tapped her computer screen, "Ghoulia, you're probably gonna hate me for this, but listen." Ghoulia lifted her head slowly. "I know the friend is Cleo and the 'someone' is you," Moan-a started before she was cut off. "No it's not!" said Ghoulia through clenched teeth.

Moan-a face-palmed. How could the ghoul with an IQ higher than most Normie geniuses be so dumb? The older zombie sighed. "Look Ghoulia. You're my little sister and I love you no matter what, but you need to listen to me. Cleo de Nile is BAD news. I've been telling you that since the beginning. I know you might think you're in love, but you're not."Moan-a paused to see if Ghoulia was paying attention. Ghoulia was staring at the screen on the brink of tears. Moan-a continued, "Ghoulia, you can warn her about Deuce if you want. Just take this as your warning- Cleo is a pompous brat who wants everyone to feel sorry for her. I doubt that she'll ever breakup with Deuce, because of the stupid high school Hierarchy."

She sighed again. "Sorry Ghoulia. I know you probably hate me, but just consider what I said to you," Moan-a pleaded. Ghoulia jumped at the sound of footsteps outside the door. "Ghoulia! Where are you?" called the familiar voice. Ghoulia slammed her Coffinbook shut as the doorknob rotated.

…

_**Hope you enjoyed. Ghoulia is one of my favorite MH characters, I just hate how she's most often just portrayed as the 'smart ghoul'. That's why I characterize her as smart and witty, with the mouth of a sailor (I just clean up most of the bad words in here). Next chapter will be here shortly and I have so many ideas for other stories to come after this one. Most of them are satirical.**_


	7. Chapter 7: Sinners Have Souls Too

Chapter 7 Sinners Have Souls Too (Operetta)

_**Hi! In this chapter you learn a secret about Operetta and you get to meet her dad EJ. His name is Eric Junior (after the actual Phantom of the Opera). I didn't want Operetta to be the daughter of the original, so the original is like her grandpa or great-grandpa.**_

Operetta frowned at the reflection in her floor-length mirror. "Dang, girl. Today ain't going to be your day is it?" she mumbled as she fluffed her red and black hair. It resembled the mane of a lion who had stuck its paw in a socket. She reached for her fuchsia flat iron and powered it on. She smiled as her pet spider crawled onto her face. 'Well at least one boy still loves me,' she thought sadly.

A single tear fell from her eyes as Deuce's likeness entered her mind. _'Why do you have to be so addictive?'_ she wandered. The phantom girl shook the thoughts from her subconscious mind and began to straighten her tresses. Within seconds the smell of burning hair products had corrupted her stomach. The ghoul dropped her flat iron and contorted her body over the toilet. Her body heaved as she tried to catch her breath. No matter what she did or where she went, she couldn't escape Deuce.

"Hey 'Retta, is everything okay in there?" questioned her dad EJ as he knocked on the bathroom door. Operetta lifted her heavy head from the toilet. She retched, before she could speak. "Yeah dad, everything's fine," she shouted weakly. "Really, Operetta? It sounded like you just regurgitated your insides out. Was it the spookghetti I made last night?" he pondered. Operetta flushed the toilet and attempted to straighten up her bathroom.

She inhaled deeply before opening the door. "Definitely, it was the spookghetti," she lied. Her father gasped as he noticed her appearance. "Wow! You must really hate Mondays," he joked while touching Operetta's unruly hair. "Stop Dad!" growled Operetta as she pushed past him. "Well I guess it's my fault that you were sick. Sorry I couldn't make the spookghetti like your mama used to." EJ sighed. "It's okay daddy," smiled Operetta. She began putting her hair into a messy bun. "Ya know something. I miss her Operetta, I miss her a lot," stuttered the male phantom.

Operetta could feel the tears starting to pool in her eyes. She flashed back to the days when her mom was around and immediately felt vulnerable. Her mother was the one person she honestly needed. No one else could comfort Operetta in her time of need- Not her father, and definitely not Deuce. She sniffled, "Me too daddy, me too."

…

_**Don't you feel sorry for her? I know most of my characters are nothing like the original MH characters, but that's just how I am. I hate the way Operetta is in the webisodes and specials. She's too conceited and that dreadful excuse they call a country accent agitates me! Take it from a true, southern, country girl-OUR ACCENTS AREN'T THAT BAD! **_

_*****Chapter 8 will be here shortly*****_


	8. Chapter 8: First Day

Chapter 8 First Day (Jackson)

_**Blame writer's block, NOT ME!**_

"Good morning sweetie," greeted Jacqueline Jekyll. Jackson rolled onto his side. "Morning mom," responded the teen groggily. The tiny woman sat down beside her son and ran her fingers across his pale face. "Son is that a _hickey_ on your neck?" questioned the woman as she touched her son's neck. Jackson leapt from the bed and dashed for his bathroom.

He stared at the purplish marking on the right side of his neck, remembering who it came from. He grabbed the nearest washcloth and drenched it with hot water. Jackson tried with all his might to scrub the ghastly reminder from his neck. "You know that's only going to make it worse?" laughed his mother. Jackson gasped as she forced her way into the bathroom. "Ever heard of knocking," he mumbled.

"So who is the lucky guy? Is he older? Younger?" quizzed Ms. Jekyll. Jackson scowled at her. "It's no one mom," he answered. "I bet it was the blond that was flirting with you yesterday," added his mother. Jackson wished that his mother would leave the situation alone. He didn't want to keep thinking about the events that had transpired the night before. "MOM!" yelled the teen. His mother raised her hands, "I surrender! Don't kill me Lamb-y." Jacqueline laughed while Jackson rolled his eyes at her use of his childhood nickname.

"Don't be such a sour puss Jack, I'm only trying to bond with you," comforted his mother. _'Why does everyone insist on calling me Jack? My name is Jackson!' _he wondered. "Beep, Beep!" the sound of a car horn ended the bonding session. "That must be your cousin Heath. You better get going sweetie. Your first day will be fantastic!" encouraged Ms. Jekyll as she exited the room. Jackson folded his arms and turned on the shower. "Can you please tell him to calm down?" yelled Jackson in an annoyed voice. He imagined that his day would take a sudden turn for the worst, when his cousin was involved.

…

After showering and getting dressed, Jackson made his way down the stairs. Before exiting the house he gave his mother a peck on the cheek. "Love you mom!" Jackson opened the door to find Heath standing in front of it. "Well it's about time. I thought I was going to have to come in and drag you out," joked the fire elemental as he slapped Jackson rather violently on the back.

"It's way too early Heath," complained Jackson as he got into the car. "Aw c'mon Cuzo, lighten up," said Heath as he started the car. He looked over at Jackson, who stared blankly out the window. "First I'm going to tell you some things about Monster High. 1. Don't be yourself." Jackson stared at Heath. "That has to be the worse advice I've ever heard," complained Jackson. "Listen Jackson, you're a normie at a Monster school. The other students probably already hate you for that fact alone."

As the car stopped the two boys stared at each other. "Okay Heath, let's just get this day over with," sighed Jackson as he opened the car door. "Let's go."

…

_**So I had the PERFECT idea for this chapter, once upon a time. Too bad I got that idea at 3 a.m. and was too lazy to type it. That explains why this chapter was so boring. Writer's block is a monster!**_


	9. Chapter 9: Reunited

Chapter 9 Reunited (Deuce)

Deuce was more than relieved to walk down the halls of Monster High. FINALLY he could escape the confusion that clouded his mind the night before. He could barely remember anything that happened that night and he wanted to keep it that way. 'Now where's Cleo?' he thought has he made his way through the crowded hallway. He passed by Rochelle Goyle, one of his other love interests. "Hey Rochelle," called Deuce seductively. The gargoyle girl smiled, causing her tiny freckles to flutter. "Bonjour Deuce," flirted Rochelle before prancing away.

Deuce was glad to see that he still had the art of seduction mastered. "Deuce! Deuce!" called a familiar voice in the distance. 'There she is,' he thought as a smile appeared on his face. Cleo de Nile ran full speed towards the guy of her dreams. Her nightmares were finally gone, now that she knew that Deuce was safe. "Deuce, I missed you _so_ much! Where were you?" cried the mummy. Deuce hesitated before answering her question. He couldn't remember where he told her he would be and the drinks from the night before didn't help either.

"Um, I thought I told you that I was helping my mom," Deuce covered. He wanted to get out of the hallway as soon as possible. For some reason he felt like something big was about to happen. Cleo looked up at him with joy-filled eyes. "I'm sorry Deuce, I must've forgotten," she apologized with a hug. "Well I'm here now and nothing can tear us apart," comforted Deuce as he held Cleo close.


	10. Chapter 10: WTF?

Chapter 10 WTF? (Jackson)

Jackson followed his cousin absentmindedly through the school. He couldn't help but stare at all the various monsters. Along a wall of lockers he recognized the vampire and werewolf that he saw at the club. Heath wolf- whistled at the two girls. "Hey D. Lo," called Heath to the vampire. She rolled her eyes and so did the werewolf. "It's Draculaura and I have a boyfriend," snapped the tiny vampire. The werewolf giggled, "Who's the normie Heath?"

Heath rolled his eyes. "Oh, that's my cousin Jackson." "Hi Jackson. I'm Clawdeen and this is my best friend Draculaura," introduced Clawdeen. Jackson returned the smile, "Nice to meet you two." Heath was starting to get annoyed with his cousin. Why were they being nice to _Jackson- _his boring normie cousin? "Well ladies, Jackson and I need to get to class. We'll see you later," called Heath as he pulled Jackson away.

"Is my little cousin afraid that a little normie will steal his ladies?" laughed Jackson. Taking his turn to make fun of Heath. "As if they'd want your gay ass," scoffed Heath. Jackson snorted, unimpressed by his cousin's ignorant jab. The teens continued to walk in silence. When they reached the most crowded hallway, Heath broke the silence. "Hey Jackson this is the junior hallway. We wait here until the bell rings, then we go to class." Jackson nodded while cradling his lime green shoulder bag. "Well I'm going to the bathroom, wait here for me," said Heath before he entered the male bathroom.

Jackson stood beside a row of purple lockers, waiting for school to start. The hallway was filled with the many voices of the students. Jackson wasn't trying to pay attention to them, but one voice really stood out. It was a masculine voice; some might call it _surfer-esque._ The owner of the voice used words like 'dude' and 'bro'. Jackson only knew why male who used those words. _'It can't be,'_ he thought. Within a few seconds the boy with the voice started walking towards Jackson. He knew it! The guy with the voice was the same guy from 'The Spot'.

Jackson wanted to run up to him and apologize for the night before, but he halted when he noticed something strange. The guy of his dreams was walking hand in hand with a _female_. He removed his glasses from his eyes and wiped them rapidly. _'It can't be…' _ Without thinking, Jackson ran towards the guy. "So this is what you do! You tell me that you _LOVE _me, then you kiss this bitch right in front of me?!" yelled the normie as he dashed down the hallway.

"What- The- Hell," gasped Deuce. "What the hell indeed," added Cleo.

…

_**So whose chapters are you liking the most? Operetta's are my favorites to write. Jackson's are the most difficult (I have no idea why). Well I'll have chapter 11 up soon=D**_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Deuce stood completely still, dumbfounded by what had just happened. He tried to rack his brain for a sign of what the normie could possibly be hinting at. _'Who is he and what on earth is he talking about?' _Then it hit him. All the mental snapshots added up to the moments from the previous night. The boy who just spazzed out on him was the same introvert who he made out with at the club- Jackson. Deuce was stunned. Never in a million years did he think that one of his 'playthings' would be so bold to address him in PUBLIC.

"Deuce, do you know that _peasant_?" asked Cleo quizzically. Deuce arose from his thoughts in alarm. "Of course not baby, I've never seen him a day in my life," cooed Deuce as he stroked Cleo's curly black hair. Cleo wanted to believe her boyfriend, but something about the occurrence disturbed her. Why would some random Human boy direct that type of outburst at Deuce? She didn't want to ponder it too long. The hallway was beginning to crowd with onlookers and she knew Spectra was lurking around somewhere. The entire situation made Cleo uncomfortable and all she wanted to do was leave school and sob in her bed, but she couldn't. The turned from left to right, noticing the many faces of the waiting guys and ghouls. For once in her life the Queen B wasn't excited to have all eyes on her. Cleo grabbed Deuce's muscular arm, "Let's go!" she snarled.

Have a good day Operetta!" called the father of the red haired ghoul. She smiled happily as she waved goodbye. It was amazing how a morning of memories with her father had changed her outlook on the day. For some odd reason she felt the need to be incredibly nice, it wasn't that she was typically mean- she just had a 'tough girl' exterior that was near impossible to break through. Operetta smoothed her front victory roll before entering the school.

Operetta could sense that something rather drastic had occurred before her arrival. The school atmosphere that was usually filled with joy and excitement was now filled with whispers of some ghastly gossip. _'What did I do this time?'_ she pondered, realizing that she was one of the school's most scandalous ghouls. She wanted and _needed _ to know what was going on. Operetta brushed a stray hair behind her ear before proceeding down the hallway.

The phantom girl was worried, What if someone had found out about her relationship with Deuce before she had the chance to talk to him? She could barely hear her thoughts over the sound of her clacking heels on the linoleum floors. "Hey Operetta! Guess what?!" called a very distinct voice. Operetta stopped in her tracks. It was Clawdeen. _'Not the person I want to see' _shethought. She tried to collect her thoughts before responding. "Hey ghoul, what did I miss?" Clawdeen grabbed Operetta's shoulder and dragged her through the hallway.

"So we were all standing in the hall waiting for class to start. Cleo and Deuce had this like 'reunion' because Deuce has been ignoring her for like _EVER_," chided the werewolf. "Come on Clawdeen, get to the good part," interrupted Draculaura. Operetta could feel her anger rising at the mention of Cleo. "Sorry 'bout that. Anyways, they were hugging and kissing when out of nowhere appears this normie. He looks Deuce square in the eye and says, _'So this is what you do! You tell me that you LOVE me, then you kiss this bitch right in front of me?!'_!" Clawdeen couldn't control her laughter at the situation. "And, the normie is Heath's cousin!" added Draculaura.

Operetta was at a loss for words. "What?" she yelled. "I know right, that's what we said," laughed Clawdeen. Operetta didn't get it. Were they implying that Deuce was gay? _'He can't be, it's not possible.' _She shook her head violently, but the thoughts didn't budge. "Do you think it could just be a joke that Heath set up to get back at Deuce for turning him to stone?" Operetta asked trying to offer any other options. Draculaura and Clawdeen shook their heads in unison. "Could be, but that normie seemed pretty serious," stated Draculaura.

Operetta sighed. "Well I'll see you guys later!" she called before running to the catacombs.


	12. Chapter 12: BFF's Forever

Chapter 12 BFF's Forever (Ghoulia)

Ghoulia looked down at her iCoffin before packing it into her backpack. _1 New Text Message_, it read. Only one ghoul texted her during class, so she automatically knew it was from Cleo. The zombie sighed her usual sigh and opened the message.

_BFF_ - **Hey Ghoulia, meet me in the auditorium ASAP. This is deathly important.**

**Love,**

**Cleo**

Ghoulia doubted that Cleo's urgency was needed. _'She probably needs my opinion on an outfit or something.' _ Ghoulia packed the rest of her belongings and started towards the auditorium. Cleo's sobs met her as she entered. "Ghoulia is that you?" whispered Cleo. _'I wonder what he's done now.' _Ghoulia followed Cleo's cries to the back of the stage. "What happened?" asked Ghoulia as she wrapped her arms around Cleo's shoulder. "It's Deuce." Ghoulia sat with her back against a giant bag of sand and waited for her best friend to explain. "You know he's been acting very strange with me lately and something that happened this morning is really bothering me," Cleo looked up at Ghoulia. Ghoulia nodded to encourage Cleo to continue. "We were standing near the lockers when this normie appeared right in front of Deuce. He said that Deuce lied about loving him, then he… he called me a bitch." Cleo paused as the tears began to dispense.

Ghoulia was shocked. _'So this is what you miss when you decide to study instead of meandering in the halls.' _ "Wow!" was all she could say. "What should I do Ghoulia?" Cleo whispered, trying to hold back the next downpour of tears. Ghoulia was baffled. Should she tell her friend the truth or the lies that she wanted to hear? Ghoulia chose the latter and immediately hated herself for it. "Maybe you should talk to him. The guy had to be joking. Why would Deuce love a _guy, _when he has beautiful girlfriend like _you?_

Cleo beamed at the compliment. "You're right Ghoulia! That's why I love you," smiled the mummy as she embraced Ghoulia in a bear hug. Ghoulia smirked. _'Here we go again.'_

…

_**I'm sorry that these past few chapters have been really crappy. I have the ideas in my head, but translating them into a story is difficult. I know what I want to happen, but it takes a while to communicate that. Leave any suggestions that you have to make this story better, or any ideas that you want to see in the story and I will consider them!**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Jackson could feel his pale skin burning bright red as he raced through the halls. He was angry with himself. After being in school for only ten minutes he had managed to embarass himself to a point of no return. _'You're so stupid,' _blaming himself was the only thing that brought him comfort.

Jackson ran until his legs ached just as much as his heart did. '_I'm a failure',_ he thought as a rapid stream of tears drenched his cheeks. He kept his gaze straight forward to avoid his gawking peers. He would never be able to show his face in school again.

His heart pounded rapidly to the beat of some imaginary song as he scurried through the halls. He kept running, not even stopping to avoid crashing into other students. Jackson didn't stop until he reached a winding staircase. Where it would lead he didn't know, but he decided to follow it anyway.

Jackson ignored the 'DO NOT ENTER' sign posted on the door and thrust it open. Behind the door was another winding staircase, only this one was more narrow. This staircase led to a dark tomb-like area. The only light came from a few lit torches, giving it an eerie feel.

Jackson journeyed further until his feet touched the stone floor. He recognized where he was, The Catacombs. '_Wow this monster school comes equipped with everything creepy.' _ The normie boy glanced around his surroundings, acknowledging the stone sconces and the marble statue of a dragon. On the opposite side he could a canal filled with murky, grey water.

All those things added to the creepy mood of the place. Jackson hoped that no one was around to hear him sob, but a noise in the distance caught his attention.

Jackson did a great jon of ignoring the noise in the beginning, but eventually it became too pesky to ignore. "What is that", growled the normie as he prowled the catacombs for answers.

He could identify the soft, slow tempo of a guitar. The melody being played was soothing and mesmerizing. Jackson couldn't help but follow the sound. With each step in it's direction, Jackson could feel the tempo gaining pace. It became almost impossible for him to keep up. The increased speed of the music ached his brain and caused his body to contort violently. He let out a blood curdling shriek and everthing went black.

**Hey guys! I know this chapter took FOREVER, and I apologize. I no longer have my laptop or my flashdrive with the rest of the story so I can't write it as quickly as before. I now type it on my phone, which means crappy quality and no paragraphs :( Hope you enjoyed :)**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14-Holt

He shook his head rapidly to collect his thoughts and to figure out where he was. With an aggressive swipe of his forearm he removed the beads of sweat that began to pool on his forehead. _'Dang, what did I do last night,'_ he grunted and attempted to stand. After a few sways left and right he was able to stand up straight. All he could hear was loud singing in the distance, but he had no idea where it was coming from. Holt removed left hand from his pocket and used it to cup his ear. After following the sound of the singing he came to a stage-like setting complete with a piano and an organ.

At the piano sat the most attractive creature he had ever laid eyes on. Her curly hair was the color of rubies and shone like them too. He tiptoed over as to not startle her. She exerted one last note before collapsing onto the black piano bench. "Why'd you stop?" questioned Holt.

The girl turned her head slowly to see what or who had addressed her. "What the heck? Who are you and what are you doing here?" sputtered Operetta. Holt chuckled as he made his way to the seat beside the ghoul.

"To be completely honest, I have no idea how I got here. By the way, I'm Holt," he laughed as he extended his hand towards the phantom. Operetta playfully wrinkled her nose before accepting Holt's hand. "Well Holt, I'm Operetta."

Operetta was surprised to see someone new in the catacombs- she was used to being there alone. It made her uncomfortable that her hideout had been found. She stood from her seat and began running her lilac hands through her hair. She really wanted to know why he was in the catacombs, but she didn't want to seem too pushy or angry that he was there.

"So are you a regular here," Holt asked while toying with his eyebrow ring. Operetta shrugged, "I guess so." She meant to respond to him with a sassy reply, but his attractiveness was too distracting. Holt stood from his seat on the piano bench.

"What is this place anyway? It seems too scary for a little babe like _you_," he chortled.

'_Babe,'_ she thought then flipped her hair. "Are you new here or something _'hun'? _This is the school's catacombs," snapped Operetta seductively.

"What the hell!" proclaimed Holt as he raised his hands angrily. "This is a school?"

Operetta was confused, how did he not know he was at school? "Yeah sugar, this is _Monster High_! How did you not know that?"

Holt put his hands in his pocket and took a seat on the bench. "I don't know. The last thing I remember was being at this club and then-," he paused while trying to jog his memory. Holt remembered being in a room with deafening music. When he came to, a male with sunglasses and a green snake, faux-hawk was kissing him. He didn't how they had gotten into that predicament, but he knew that he was livid and had left immediately. "I walked out, and that's all I remember," continued Holt- purposely omitting the other information to avoid humiliation.

Operetta sat in awe. "Well it seems like someone partied a little too hard last night," she joked. She glanced over at Holt, who didn't seem very amused. "Well the bells about to ring, so you may want to follow me," advised Operetta while grabbing her books and heading towards the staircase.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The hallways of Monster High were filled with 'end of the day' hustle and bustle as the final bell tolled, signaling the end of the school day. Cleo de Nile threw her gold sequined handbag over her shoulder hurriedly as she bolted from her biteology class. She held her head high as she careened through the mass of students hording in the hall. After her talk with Ghoulia earlier that day she was determined to have a meaningful conversation with Deuce, because something was obviously different about him. At the far end of the hall she noticed her friends- Ghoulia, Clawdeen, Frankie, and Draculaura standing in front of their lockers, to her surprise there was a fifth ghoul included. Realizing the ghoul was none other than Operetta, she rolled her eyes in annoyance.

Although the two were acquaintances, Cleo still had feelings of uneasiness towards her after her friends caught Operetta and Deuce in a compromising position. After further investigation the ghouls realized that it was a big misunderstanding and Deuce even enlisted Operetta to help him write a song in Cleo's honor. Cleo thanked Operetta gratuitously, but she was not stupid. Everyone knew that Operetta loathed Cleo, and the gift of the song was only to please Deuce- Operetta couldn't care less about her.

Cleo shook the defective thoughts from her head and began hunting through her purse for her iCoffin. "Where are you?" she grumbled after reaching in multiple times and only pulling out cosmetics. Suddenly she remembered it was strapped in the tiny holster attached to one of her leg bandages. The mummy grinned contently before clicking the call button beneath Deuce's name. She listened in anticipation as the phone rang numerous times, eventually switching over to the robotic voice of the answering machine. Her hopes began to fall as the familiar voice of her beau took the place of the robotic voice, _"Hey, you've reached Deuce. I guess I'm busy right now, so please leave a message. Bye."_ The mummy's finger hovered over the end button before she forcefully pressed down.

Her cheeks were flushed deep scarlet and she could feel the tears beginning to surface. She was nearing her wit's end, but she refused to break in the presence of others. Taking a deep cleansing breath, she shoved her phone into her bag and marched towards her friends.

"I'll see you ghouls tomorrow," waved Operetta as she gathered her belongings. The other ghouls were confused. "Why, Operetta?" "We were right in the middle of a conversation," pleaded Draculaura and Frankie, but with no success. The crimson haired ghoul smirked, "Pops probably needs my help handling those pesky kids he teaches keyboarding to." Ghoulia and the girls nodded in understanding, not noticing the arrival of their self-proclaimed leader. Operetta rolled her eyes slyly at the mummy before sauntering away.

"UGH!" Cleo growled ferociously, startling her comrades. "Whoa, I thought that was my thing," chuckled Clawdeen in surprise, causing the other ghouls to erupt in giggles. Cleo rolled her eyes towards the ceiling, clearly not amused. Slowly counting in her head she waited for the laughter to cease. Frankie took the hint first, "You guys, I think she's angry." Ghoulia moaned silently, _'That my dear, is an understatement.' _The mummy returned her vision to the group. "Have you seen Deuce?" she questioned worriedly. The ghouls looked to one another, wondering if one had an answer. Draculaura was the only one to speak, "Well he was with Clawd and Heath earlier. He didn't look too good to me." The other ghouls agreed, nodding in unison.

Cleo clutched chest in relief, "Thank Ra. He must be coming down with something. I have to see him immediately," she shouted before running outside, where her servants awaited. Her friends sat in confusion. "Can mummies be bi-polar," Draculaura asked. "Beats me," added Clawdeen before turning towards their zombie friend. "Ghoulia?" inquired the ghouls in unison as the zombie shrugged.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Jackson emerged from the school building in a cloud of confusion. His temples throbbed with the thunderous echoes of the school bell and he had no idea how time had passed so fast. Gripping his backpack, he wandered through the courtyard. On either side of him students passed by, some sneering at that site of a normie on their grounds others shuffling in fear. He kept his head down, sheepishly avoiding their piercing looks and trying to escape swiftly.

While he wandered he thought about the happenings of the day. He had been awakened that morning by the sound of his cousin's obnoxious honking and the inquisitive nature of his mother. After that he'd rode to school with Heath. At that moment, his train of thought faltered.

"Jackson, Get over here!" hollered his flame-haired younger cousin Heath. Jackson squinted beneath his angular black glasses before marching to the back of the school- towards the tiny Honda that could have been mistaken for a pumpkin in the distance. "Hi, Heath," said Jackson as he slouched in the passenger's seat. Heath nodded and started the car, leaving a trail of smoke behind them.

…

They rode the entire trip in silence. At one point Heath reached down to fiddle with the radio, but stopped himself. "Why won't you turn on the radio?" pondered Jackson. Heath rolled his eyes, "No reason." And the silence continued.

…

"Well thanks for the ride Heath," Jackson thanked solemnly before exiting the car. He pushed his bag up onto his shoulder and started off towards the house. He was half way through the door when he heard Heath calling his name.

"Jackson!"

"What Heath?"

"Thank You."

Jackson rubbed his forehead in confusion. "For?"

Heath paused, looking down at the steering wheel. "For not embarrassing me," he answered with a sly smile. Jackson rolled his eye before walking into the house. The aroma of chocolate chip muffins greeted him as he pulled open the large oaken door. _'Uncanny,' _he thought- as his mother rarely baked. He slid the bag from his shoulder and onto the couch, which for a change had each of its pillows placed straight and matching. Jackson realized something strange was happening, and his suspicions were confirmed when the echo of chatter sounded from the kitchen.

"These muffins are amazing!" praised a male voice in the kitchen. "Oh stop! You've spoiled me with enough compliments already," giggled Ms. Jekyll and the male. Jackson grasped his forehead in fear. _'Oh no, not a boyfriend. For Heaven's sake she's old' _He knew entering the kitchen would be the only way to confirm or deny his fear, but something deep inside his head told him not to.

"Hey Lamb," called Jacqueline Jekyll as Jackson peeked through the doorway. "Crap," he scoffed, knowing his cover was blown. His mother sat on the kitchen counter swinging her feet carelessly. The male sat comfortably at the table with his back to the entrance. Jackson stumbled forward, slamming his shin into the table. "Hi, mom," he mumbled. Ms. Jekyll hopped off of the counter and ran to her son, enveloping him in bear-hug. "Hi, Jack," called a familiar voice. Jackson squinted as the figure came into view. "Stephen?" he muttered in surprise.

Stephen rose from his seat and pushed in the chair before strolling over to Jackson. "Yep Jack, it's me," laughing boisterously he tapped Jackson's head. Seeing Stephen in the room made Jackson uncomfortable. He didn't know why Stephen was there and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Breaking from the hug, Ms. Jekyll stood straightening her paint splattered sweater. "Well I'll leave you two to talk. Take some muffins will ya?" she giggled. Jackson gave his mother an agitated glare before leading Stephen upstairs.

"Ugh… This is it?" Stephen scrunched up his nose at Jackson's immaculate room. The comment really vexed Jackson. "Yes. Is there a problem?" he spat. Stephen sensed the anger and irritation radiating from Jackson, so he decided not to push it further. "It's just really unornamented. Anyway I wanted to talk to you about last night." Jackson stared at Stephen suspiciously- not even averting his gaze to close his bedroom door. He motioned for Stephen to sit in his rolling desk chair while he stood with his back to the door. "Okay," Stephen muttered quietly.

"So what happened after I left you two alone last night? Deuce said you…" Stephen paused, searching for the right word. "He said you disappeared." He looked up at Jackson hoping for a reaction of some sort, but Jackson sat stone faced. Realizing Jackson wasn't going to budge he finished the story. "I know the club can be pretty packed sometimes, but Chelsea and I would've noticed you leaving. What happened?"

Jackson began rubbing his forehead apprehensively. "I-I don't know," he stuttered. "I guess I blacked out." Stephen sighed. "That may be an understatement. You didn't talk to Deuce today did you?" Jackson nodded slowly. Stephen gasped. "Oh no! Was that old _hag _with him?" Again Jackson nodded. "Damage control," breathed Stephen. "Excuse me," said Jackson. Stephen stood, making his way to the door. "You have to apologize. I'll give you the reasons later, but for now just do it," he explained leaving Jackson dumbfounded.


	17. Chapter 17- Power Trip

Chapter 17-Power Trip

"This is the life!" Deuce shouted as he fell back onto the ragged orange couch in the Wolf's basement. "I hear you," agreed Clawd as he picked up a PS3 controller. The two sat in the basement, later joined by Heath enjoying their brief freedom. "It's good to see you Deuce. We really missed you when Cleo had you on lockdown," Heath chuckled. Behind the dark lenses of his shades, Deuce rolled his eyes. "I have to admit, it is really surprising. Why aren't you with her?" Clawd asked while pausing the game. Deuce sighed in annoyance. "I needed a break. She's so _needy _sometimes. I mean you dated her too Clawd. Don't you know what I mean?"

Clawd groaned. "Don't remind me and yes, I know what you mean." Heath grinned before tossing a Dorito into his mouth. "Being in a committed relationship seems so tedious. I think it's the labels that destroy the bond. That's why I ride _solo_," he chuckled. "You mean, you're single because no ghoul in their right mind would date you," scoffed Deuce. "Or guy for that matter," added Clawd. The werewolf and the gorgon bumped fists while the fire elemental rolled his eyes. Clawd stretched his sinewy arms above his head. "Can we start the game now," he questioned impatiently.

Heath cracked his knuckles mischievously. It was his turn to get even. "So Deuce, what's up with you and Operetta?" Across the room Deuce, almost choked. "What?"

"I see you talking to Operetta _all_ the time when Cleo's not around. Why?" Heath smirked as he watched Deuce's sun-kissed skin go pallid. Clawd whipped around to face Deuce. "Dude, What's he talking about?" Deuce cleared his throat before speaking, refusing to give in to Heath's antics. "Operetta is just my friend. Nothing more," he spoke suavely. Heath rolled his eyes as if to say _"sure"_. Done with the conversation, Deuce raised his controller signaling the start of the game.

…

She tossed and turned restlessly in her bed, her garnet colored waves flowing wildly on her periwinkle pillow. The soft chime of her iCoffin caught her attention. Operetta leaped from her bed to retrieve the tiny phone that lay on her ebony, baby grand piano. She clutched the iCoffin to her chest- refusing to glance at it until she was safely in her bed. Once comfortably on the mass of assorted violet pillows she unlocked the iCoffin. Her face dropped when she recognized the sender- The Ghostly Gossip. With curiosity consuming her, Operetta opened the message.

_**Trouble in paradise, or should I say de Nile?**_

_A certain mummy has been looking rather forlorn without her Gorgon boy around. I wonder who or what he's been doing?_

_-GG_

Read the message, accompanied by a solitary photo of Cleo. Operetta tossed the phone angrily to the floor. She was fed up with seeing Cleo everywhere- no matter if it was just her name or her person, Operetta hated it. With her back against the headboard, she clutched a treble clef shaped pillow to her chest, took several deep breaths and closed her eyes.

_They strolled through the graveyard peacefully, his brawny arms around her waist and her ear resting on his shoulder. "I'm really glad we're friends- but sometimes I wish we were much more," she confessed. He was silent for a moment, and then he looked down at her. "Who says we can't be" Taken aback, she stopped walking. "But, you have a girlfriend," she pleaded, breaking free from his hold. He grasped her hands gently, holding them up to his lips and kissing them slowly. "Who says she has to know?" he whispered. _

_ She blinked unsurely up at him. "Deuce are you sure? What if she finds out? You know I don't like dra-," he silenced her worries with a profoundly soulful kiss._

She blinked ferociously as a loud _thunk sounded_ at her window. _'What the hell?' _she thought. Pushing her pillows aside, she marched to her bay window. To her surprise- Deuce Gorgon stood in the grass a story below her window. _'It can't be.' _Operetta rubbed her eyes roughly, silently praying that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. She unhooked the latch, pulling open the window.

"Hey gorgeous!" called the velvet-like voice that always made her melt. She smiled joyfully, before exiting the room and running down the stairs three at a time. With the screen-door swinging shut behind her she skipped ecstatically onto the front porch. "Hay's for horses," she smirked before wrapping her tattooed arms around his neck. He spun around like a small child. "I missed you," confessed Deuce, planting a soft peck on her forehead. "Me too," she remarked, forgetting how troubled she was just minutes ago. They sat for a minute in the wrought iron swing chair- neither speaking. Crickets chirped softly and the springs of the swing squeaked. Deuce was first to break the silence. "Sorry I flipped out on you the other day. I was just really aggravated." "I forgive you," she spoke softly, placing her dainty lilac hand over his. "Is your father home?" he inquired. Her eyes lit up for a second. "Nope. Memphis," she replied as they arose from the swing.

They rambled up the stairs giddily, each pointing out some memory that had occurred in the house. "Remember that time I almost busted my ass trying to run down these stairs," he called. "Yeah do you remember how I couldn't stop laughing- even weeks after?" she guffawed. The memories and laughter stopped when they reached her bedroom. He walked in first taking in the scenery. "It looks so different," Deuce remarked. She pushed the door closed behind her. "Yea it is. I needed a change," Operetta answered, taking a seat beside him in her canopy bed. He caressed the wavy locks that hung freely around her face. "It has been forever since I've seen your hair down. I love it," he grumbled softly.

Operetta had never felt so uncertain. She knew she had urgent news to share with Deuce, but she didn't want to ruin the moment. For the first time in weeks he was speaking to her and tolerating her. She got up from the bed slowly to close the window. "You know Deuce, I was thinking about when we first met," she started looking out the window longingly. "Really," he said, his voice sleep-laced. "Yeah, Do you?" Deuce gave no reply. When she turned around, he was stretched out fast asleep.

...

She didn't dream that night. She stayed up through the night and well into the morning, her mind racing without a break. She had decided to break the news to him that morning. It took a lot of self convincing, but she knew it would be best. "Deuce?" Operetta spoke softly. No answer. She rolled over onto her side. "Deuce?" Again, no response. The spot beside her was empty, as if she had dreamed the whole experience. Had she? She wept in desperation.


End file.
